Record-printing wheel for time-recorders.



No. 629,366. Patented July 25, I899. F. J. HULL &. W. BURCHETT.

RECORD PRINTING WHEEL FOR TIME RECORDERS.

A liemon filed Mar. 31, 1898.) R (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shed l.

T'osier J. Hull l v Ltwwoeo I 344021443010 No. 629,366. Patented July 25, I899; F. J. HULL &. W. BURCHETT.

RECORD PRINTING WHEEL FOR TIME REGORDERS.

(Application med 1m. 31, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sh0818-$h88t 2.

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No. 629,366. Patented July 25, I899. F.EJ. HULL & w. BURCHETT. RECORD PRINTING WHEEL FOR TIME RECORDERS.

(Application filed Mar. 31, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Shaets-Shaet 3.

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THE NURRiS PETERS 00., PHQTO'LKTH WASHINGTON, D C

UNITED S ATES PATENT OFFICE.

FOSTER J. HULL AND WALTER BUROHETT, OF NElV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO JOSEPH GARDAM, OF SAME PLACE.

RECORD-PRINTING WHEEL FOR TlME-RECORDERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 629,366, dated July 25, 1899. Application filed March 31,1898, Serial No' 675,922. (No model-l provements in Record-Printing Wheels for Time-Recorders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the class of machines known as workmens time-recorders,

and more particularly to the construction and operation of the clock-actuated record-printing wheels contained in such recorders and which are adapted to print on suitable time cards or sheets the exact time in hours and minutes the arrival and departure of the workman.

The object of the invention is to provide adequate means in the simplest possible form for positively and instantly changing the hour-wheel at the expiration of the minutes of the hour on the minute-wheel, so that the new hour will read clear with the two ciphers of said minute-wheel.

Another object of this invention is to so construct the minute-wheel that at given times during its revolution the numerals 58 and 59 will be withdrawn from an impression position and so retained until it is desired they shall be required to properly per form their functions.

A still further object of this invention is to so construct the recordprintiug wheels that it will be possible to record in duplicate from two diametrically opposite sides of said wheels, so that, if desired, the recorder can be constructed in the form of a double machine.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, the various figures are described as follows:

Figure 1 is an elevation showing the application of the invention, portions of the supporting-framework and clock mechanism being shown to more clearly demonstrate the operation. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the record-printing wheels and their supporting parts. Fig. 3 is a plan view of record-printing wheels and supporting parts.

,view of the minute-wheel.

Fig. 4C is a side elevation looking toward the right side of Fig. 3, the supporting-framework being omitted. Fig. 5 is a detail plan Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of the hour'wheel and operating parts, showing an extreme movement opposite to that of Fig. Fig. '7 is a detail end view of the hour-wheel-operating pawls. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the hourwheel-operating pawls. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the cam for operating the arms carrying the numerals 58 and 59. Fig. 10 is a detail View, partially in section, showing one of the arms of the minute-wheel and the spring for operating the cam-pins. Fig. 11 is a detail view of the hour-wheel-opcrating cam. Fig. 12 is a View showing a fractional part of a time-card with the time printed thereon.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures, and in the construction and application of this invention 1 is a suitable base, to which are secured the vertical standards 2, carrying on their tops the framework and clock mechanism that drives the operating parts of the record-printing wheels.

3 is a gear on the minute-wheel shaft of a clock-train that imparts motion to the gear 4:, carried on a spindle 5, said spindle also supporting the bevel-gear 6, that meshes with a bevel-gear 7, secured to the top of the vertical shaft 8. This shaft 8 has suitable bearin gs in the clock-frame and also in the framework which supports the record printing wheels and has secured to the lower end a bevel-gear 9, which meshes with a bevel-gear 10, secured on the hub of the n'iinute-printing. wheel.

11 is asupporting-frame secured to the baseplate 1 and supports the printing-wheels and the operating parts of the same.

Carried by the frame 11 in the bearings 13 and 14 is a shaft 15, which carries the minuteprinting wheel 16 thereon. This minuteprinting wheel has a hub 17 thereon that in turn carries the bevel-gear 10, that meshes with and receives motion from the bevel-gear 9 on the clock-actuated shaft 8. I This bevelgear 10 bears a relation of two to one with the bevel-gear 9, and consequently makes but ICO one-half a revolution to each revolution of the said gear 9. The bevel-gear 10 is also secured to the shaft 15, to which it imparts motion, whereby the intermittent mechanism of the hour-printing wheel is operated.

The bevel-gear 10 has extending longitudinally through the hub thereof two pins 18, that are pointed on their ends nearest the minnte-printing wheels, as shown at 19. The fiat ends of these pins 18 are adapted to ride on the face of the cam 20, rigidly secured to the hub 13 of the frame 11.

On the outer side of the minute-printing wheel are two arms 21, having curved portions 22 conforming to the contour of the minute-printing wheel, said curved portions carrying on their outer faces the numerals 58 and 59. These arms are free to slide in the brackets 23 and 21 on the sides of the printing-wheel when operated upon by the pins 18 through the medium of the cam 20. Located in the inner ends of said arms 21 are springs 25, which are in constant contact with the pins 18 and at all times hold said pins in sliding contact with the operating-face of the cam 20. The inner ends of the arms 21 permanently rest on the pointed ends of the said cam-operated pins, whereby the numbers on the arms are thrown in and out of printing position with the time cards or sheets. The arms are held against the cam-operated pins 18 by means of springs 26, which are secured to the arms and the brack ets 24.

The cam 20 has two inclined surfaces 20, diametrically opposite each other on the operating-face thereof, and atthe highest points of the inclines are steps 20", from which the pins 18 simultaneously fall at each half-revolution of the gear 10. This action releases the pins from engagement with the arms 21 and allows said arms to be drawn toward the hub of the minute-printing wheel, thereby preventing the numbers on the outer ends of the arms from making impressions on the time cards or sheets.

Attached to the frame 11 is a bracket 30, that pivotally supports a T-shaped pawl 31, that is adapted to alternately engage and disengage laterally the teeth 32 on the ratchetwheel This ratchet-wheel has twentyfour teeth thereon, which correspond in nu n1- ber to the duplicate set of figures on the hour wheel, and is secured to the hub 31- of the hour-printing wheel 35, said hour-printing wheel being loosely mounted in the shaft 15. The T-shaped pawl 31 has secured thereto a bracket 36, carrying a stud 37, to which is attached a vertically-moving pawl 38, that also engages the teeth of the ratchet-wheel By referring to Fig. 8 the construction of these pawls will be more readily understood. The laterally-moving pawl 31 operates to lock the ratchet-wheel, while the vertically-movingpawl 38 acts to progress the ratchet-wheel. Secured to the end of the pawl 31 nearest to the ratchet-wheel is a finger 39, that rides on the face of and is operated by the cam 10, said cam being keyed to the shaft 15. Two notches a1 and 12 are cut in the operatingface of the said cam diametrically opposite to each other and are intended to receive the finger that is secured on the end of the pawl 31. As the finger 39 travels around the cam it drops into two cutaway portions 413 and 44 on the cam before it reaches and drops into the notches 4:1 and On one side of the cam, opposite to the operating portion, are two pins 55 and 46, arranged diametrically opposite to each other, and are intended to lift the pawl 38 through the medium of the spring 17, which is secured to'a lug t8, forming part of the pawl 38. Secured to the frame 11 and the pawl 31 is a spring 49, which holds the finger 39 against the operating-face of the cam 40. The pawl 38 has preferably fixed thereon a weight 50, which tends to quickly drop the said pawl after it has been released from engagement with the ratchetwheel. The pawl 31 is pivoted to the bracket 30 by means of two set-screws 51 and in such a manner that said pawl is permitted to have su flicient lateral movement to escape the teeth of the ratchet-wheel.

Fig. 1 shows a carriage 55, thathas mounted thereon the drums 56 and 57, carrying the time cards or sheets 58, upon which it is intended that the time of the workmen shall be recorded.

The minute-printing wheel has the minutes of the hour consecutively arranged around the periphery of said wheel in duplicate from one to fifty-seven and two ciphers, the numbers 5S an( 59 being carried on the arms 21. The hour-printing wheel has the hours arranged consecutively around the periphery of said wheel in duplicate from 1 to 12. The minute-printing wheel and the hour-printing wheel perform their functions entirely independent of each other, each wheel being provided with its own operating mechanism, as hereinbefore explained.

The operation is as follows: Presuming the printing-wheels to be in the relative positions shown in Fig. 3that is,within a quarter of a revolution of performing their distinct and separate operationsthe train of clock mechanism will impart proper rotary motion to the vertical shaft 8, which in turn revolves the bevel-gear 9, imparting motion to the bevel-gear 10 in proportion of one to two. This bevel-gear 10, being secured to the hub of the minute-wheel and the shaft 15,will impart uniform rotary motion to both. As the bevel-gear 10 rotates the pins 18 will travel over the inclined portions of the cam 20, thereby forcing them toward the minutewheel, which tends to gradually raise the arms 21 until when the arms are almost in a horizontal position the numbers 58 and 59 will be in a position to make an impression on the time cards or sheets. At the same time the pins 15 are just about to drop on the steps '20 of the cam 20. Asthe shaft 15 is rotated it also rotates the cam 40,which cam governs the movement of the pawls that operate to change the hour on the hour-wheel at the proper time with the expiration of the minutes of the previous hour. Presuming the hour-wheel to be in the same position as that of the minute-wheel, as shown in Fig. 3, the finger 39 on the laterally-moving pivoted pawl 31 will ride on the operating-face of the cam until it reaches the cut-away portion 43, when the spring 49 will pull the two pawls, so that both of said pawls are in engagement with the ratchet-wheel, the pawl 38 being in engagement with the tooth under the tooth engaged by the pawl 31. eration has occurred the pin 46 on the cam 40 will commence to lift the spring 47 and continue to do so until it is in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. The finger 39 is now on the verge of dropping into the notch 42 of the cam 40. The arms 21 on the minute-printing wheel and the hour-wheel are now in a position to make a change by the fractional part of a revolution of the shaft 15, and the exact impression that will be produced upon the time card or sheet is shown by the first figures in Fig. 12. Presuming that the movement has occurred, the pins 18 have dropped on the steps 20" on the cam 20, as shown in Fig. 5, the arms 21 have been released and drawn toward the hub of the minute-wheel,and the numbers 58 and 59 removed from impression position with the time cards or sheets. Simultaneously with this action the finger 39 drops into the notch 44, as shown in Fig. 5, and the spring 49 has pulled the pawl 31 out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel 33, and the verticallymoving pawl 38 has, owing to its spring tension produced by the spring 47, moved the ratchet-wheel one tooth, which in turn rotatably moves the hour-wheel to the next hour inorder, and an impression from the printing-wheels on the time cards or sheets will appear, as shown by the second set of figures in Fig. 12. The continued rotation of the shaft 15 will cause the cam 40 to throw the finger out of the notch 42 and force the pawl 31 into engagement with the ratchetwheel, and the pawl 38 will be forced out of engagement and drop down by force of gravity to its first position, that shown in Fig. 4. hen the pawl 31 is forced back into engagement with the ratchet-wheel, it will act as a lock to prevent the hour-printin g wheel from forward or backward rotation. This locked condition of the hour-printing wheel is retained until the pawl 31 is again released from engagement with the ratchet-wheel. The arms .21 will not force the numbers in the ends thereof into impression-contact with the time-cards again until the pins 18 have reached the highest points of the inclines on the cam 20.

The above-described changing operation occurs at each half-revolution of the printing-wheels, which is necessary, owing to the As soon as this opduplicate numbers on said printing-wheels, though it can be made a single operation if it is desired not to make the hours and minutes in duplicate, as herein described.

The principal object in the above-described operation is to obviate the present annoyance of having the hour-wheel change at a time when the minutes will not correctly read therewith. For instance, when the hourwheel does not change at the proper time a workmans time will read 7.59 when it should be 6.59, which is due to the fact that the present methods employed to advance the hour-wheel are not absolute in operation.

Of course it is apparent that minor details of construction can be varied without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim-as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In record-printing wheels for time-recorders, a clock-actuated minute-printing wheel having the minutes of the hourthereon and provided with movable arms, portions of the number of minutes of the hour on said arms, means for advancing and withdrawing said portions of numbers to and from the printing position, an hour-printing wheel having the hours of the day thereon, and clock-actuated means for intermittently progressing said hour-wheel the movable arms operated to withdraw the portions of minutes thereon from the printing position, simultaneously with the progression of the hour-wheel, substantially as described and set forth.

2. In record-printing wheels for time-recorders, a clockactuated minute-printing wheel provided with movable arms, portions of the number of minutes of the hour thereon, means for intermittently placing said portions of numbers in position to print on the time cards or sheets, an hour-printing wheel, and clock-actuated means for intermittently progressing said hour-printing Wheel, the movable arms operated to withdraw the portions of minutes thereon from the printing position simultaneously with the progression of the hour-wheel, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

3. In record-printing wheels for time-recorders, a wheel having a portion of the minutes of the hour thereon and movable arms having portions of the said minutes thereon carried by said wheel, means for intermittently operating said movable arms whereby said arms advance and withdraw said portions of numbers thereon to and from the printing position, an hour-wheel, and clockactuated means for progressing said hourwheel and said movable arms operated to withdraw the portions of minutes thereon from the printing position simultaneously with the progression of the hour-wheel, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

4. In record-printing wheels for time-recorders, a clock-actuated minute printing wheel provided with radially-operated arms, portions of the minutes of the hour thereon, means for intermittently placing said portions of numbers in position to print on the time cards or sheets, an hour-printing wheel, and clock-actuated means for intermittently progressing said hour-wheel, the radial arms operated to withdraw from the printing position simultaneously with the progression of the hour-wheel substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

5. In record-printing wheels for time-recorders, a clock -actuated minute-printing wheel having the minutes of the hourarranged in duplicate thereon, radially-operated arms carrying portions of the minutes of the hour thereon,means for intermittently forcing said portions of minutes on the radial arms into position to make an impression on the time cards or sheets, combined with the clock-actuated hour-printing wheel having the hours of the day arranged thereon, and means for intermittently progressing said hour-wheel substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

6. In record-printing wheels for time-recorders, the clock-actuated minute-printing wheel provided with radially-operated arms having thereon a portion of the number of minutes of the hour, the clock-driven gear, in mesh with a gear on said minute-wheel, pins carried by said minute-wheel gear and operated by a cam whereby the numbers on the said radial arms are intermittently operated to be brought into position to make an impression on the time cards or sheets, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

7. In record-printing wheels for time-recorders, a clock-actuated shaft having the minute-printing wheel fixed thereon,thehourwheel loosely mounted thereon, and the clockdriven gear keyed thereto, said gear-carrying pins that are operated by a cam to operate the radial arms on the minute-wheel, a cam fixed to the clock-actuated shaft and adapted to operate laterally and vertically moving pawls, and said pawls alternately engaging the successive teeth of a ratchet-wheel on the hour-printing wheel, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

8. ln record-printing wheels for time-1e corders, the clock-actuated minute-printing wheel carried by a shaft and provided with radially-operated arms having thereon portions of the number of minutes of the hour, a clock-driven gear carried by the minuteprinting wheel, pins carried by the said gear, a fixed cam for operating said pins, said pins adapted to centrifugally operate the radial arms, springs attached to the minute-printing wheel and the radial arms forcentripetally operating said radial arms, and springs in the ends of the radial arms for holding the said pins in contact with the fixed cam, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

9. In record-printing wheels for time-recorders, a supporting-frame carrying a shaft upon which are mounted the clock-actuated minute and hourprinting wheels, the minute printing wheel provided with radially-operated arms bearing thereon portions of the number of minutes of the hour means for intermittently placing said portion of numbers in position to print on the time cards or sheets, means for intermittently progressing the hour-printing wheel whereby the record of time made by said minute and hour printing wheels will synchronize with the operat-' ing-clock, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

10. In record-printing wheels for time-recorders, the hourprinting wheel loosely mounted on a clock-actuated shaft, laterally and vertically moving pawls pivoted to a bracket on the frame, a finger on the end of the laterallymoving pawl, a cam having notches therein which operate the finger on the lateral pawl, a spring attached to the vertically-moving pawl operated upon by pins on a revoluble cam and the said pawls alternately engaging the successive teeth of a ratchetwheel secured to the hour-printing wheel whereby the hour-wheel is intermittently progressed, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

11. In record-printing wheels for time-rccordcrs, the hour printing wheel loosely mounted on a cloclcactuated shaft, a ratchetwheel secured to said hour-printing wheel, laterally and vertically moving pawls alternately engaging the successive teeth of said ratchet-wheel, said pawls operated by a cam fixed to the clock-actuated shaft whereby the hour-printing wheelis intermittently rotated, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

12. In record-printing wheels for time-recorders, an hour-printing wheel mounted 011 a clock-actuated shaft, a ratchet-wheel secured to said hour-wheel, laterally and vertically moving pawls alternately engaging the successive teeth of said ratchet, clock-actuated means for operating said pawls whereby said hour-printing wheel is intermittently progressed for the purpose set forth.

13. In record-printing wheels for time-recorders, a laterally-moving pawl pivoted to a supporting-frame, a vertically-moving pawl pivoted to the laterally-moving pawl, a finger on said laterally-moving pawl, a spring secured to said vertically-moving pawl, a cam fixed to a clock-actuated shaft and adapted to operate said spring and finger, and a spring for holding the said finger in contact with the cam, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

ll. In record-printing wheels for time-recorders, an hour-printing wheel having a ratchet-wheel secured thereto, a laterallymoving pawl having a finger pivoted to a supporting-frame, a vertically-moving pawl pivoted to the laterally-moving pawl, a spring secured to the vertically-moving pawl, a cam l said gear and operated by said cam and the fixed to a clock-actuated shaft and adapted radial arms operated by said pins, substanto operate said finger and spring to altertially as described and for the purpose set nately engage the successive teeth of the forth. 5 ratchet-wheel, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

15. In record-printing wheels for tln1e-recorders, the minute-printing Wheel, radial Witnesses: arms carried thereby, a clock-actuated gear J. W. A. GARDAM, IO secured thereto, a fixed cam, pins carried by YVM. A. COURTLAND.

FOSTER J. HULL. \VALTER BUROHETT. 

